Writing Workshop

Na Pueo (our new name) authors have been hard at work writing.  Our authors are in the first stage of writing workshop, which I call "collecting."  This first month was their time to try different pieces of writing.  As we end this collection period, I am asking the children to choose a piece that they would like to work on more and go through the writing process with.  With the pieces that Na Pueo chose, they will type, conference, revise, and edit until these pieces are ready to be published in a book that the children make.  Here is a copy of the checklist that your child will follow. 
writing workshop checklis.pdf
Because publishing requires numerous steps and is time-consuming, we set benchmark due dates along the way.  At the beginning of the month we decided that some time around now would be a reasonable amount of time for everyone to finish with their drafts.  I decided on Tuesday, 9/24/07, as our due date for first drafts. Some students have chosen their piece to publish, but aren’t quite finished with their draft.  Students are always welcome to work on their writing at home, but for this week, I am requiring some students to work on finishing their 1st draft at home, as they are due on Tuesday.  I will make a note on your child’s homework checklist if they should be working on their draft at home.  
If your child brings their writing home to work on, please do not help them with editing.  If they ask you for ideas on the content of their story, please feel free to give them suggestions, but do not correct their spelling, punctuation, or grammar.  Of course, if they ask you how to spell a word, please help how you normally would, but don’t correct their piece for them, however tempting it may be.  Especially with this first piece, it is very important that our authors are able to experience every step in the publishing process.
Once your child is finished with their first draft, they will need to type up their piece.  If your child’s writing piece is long, they may want to work on typing at home.  If you would like your child to type at home, you may send in a flash-drive, but please make sure your child knows what kind of word processing program you have so we know how to save it.  I can also e mail their piece to you.  Again, if they bring their piece home to type, please resist the urge to correct it. 

Posted on September 21, 2007 6:55 AM | Permalink